10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
89,450 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1996 Honda Accord:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #16

Jul 132022

Accord

  • miles
SRS My safety and other person in my car in case of accident worries no air bag protection in case of accident.. YES. Diamond Valley Honda code 7-2 need to start with replacing SRS unit, 2 to 3 wks. to repair meanwhile no transportation. Who knows what els entails. NO not that I know of. It-??s in the hands of Diamond Valley Honda Hemet, CA YES warning light yesterday 7/13/2022 coming from my doctor office Wildomar, CA.

- Hemet, CA, USA

problem #15

Jul 012016

Accord

  • 185,736 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Honda Accord. While stationary and driving various speeds, the engine indicator illuminated and remained lit over a period of time. The contact stated that the speedometer would not record the proper speed/mileage. In addition, the contact stated that the battery was drained on numerous occasions and the battery life of the vehicle lasted six months or less. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 185,736.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #14

Oct 012016

Accord

  • miles
My alternator is not charging my battery. My wire harness is having a faulty and I can't figure it out

- Oak Harbor, WA, USA

problem #13

Dec 072015

Accord

  • miles
Recall on wires

- Albert Lea, MN, USA

problem #12

Jul 202005

Accord 4-cyl

  • 108,000 miles
Faulty ignition switch...recurrent intermittent problem. Fails to start. This has been occurring off and on for years. Sometimes the key sensor senses a key in the ignition when a key isn't inserted, thus a beeping sound when the door is opened even if the key is not in the ignition. Car has shut off while driving several times over the years.

- Farmington, CT, USA

problem #11

Feb 232011

Accord

  • 125,000 miles
I have a 1996 Honda Accord which was suddenly stalling with all the power down for few minutes. After few tests my mechanic said the problem is with ignition key switch. After spending $600 plus the problem stopped. After researching I found out there was a recall for the same problem but for model year 1997 onwards for the same car. After further research I found that there were lot of people on the model year 1996 who complained about the same problem but whose car were not recalled and fixed by Honda. So I think Honda should all include the model year 1996 for recall or reimburse people like myself who had the same problem and whose car were not recalled and who ended up spending hundreds of dollars. Honda should have included model year 1996 along with other year for recall.

- Santa Clarita, CA, USA

problem #10

Mar 272011

Accord

  • 180,000 miles
I was driving my 96 Accord at 45 mph on a spring day and it shut off as though I had turned the key off. It would restart for as long as the key was held in the "start" position, but as soon as the key was released (to normal operating position) it would die. The cause was a faulty ignition switch which I had replaced by a repair technician. While I fortunately suffered no harm, had it happened traveling uphill or through an intersection the results could have been disastrous.

- Noblesville, IN, USA

problem #9

May 132010

Accord

  • 147,365 miles
Horn works occasionally, SRS light won't go off, speedometer stop working.

- Bishopville, SC, USA

problem #8

Aug 092010

Accord

  • miles
Honda Accord 1996, windows automatically open when the vehicle is not occupied, but is parked and locked. Upon return, Honda Accord windows are open to half way. This creates a danger for the owner of the vehicle as if parked when there is no daylight, someone could enter the vehicle unknown to the driver, or carjacking could occur due to easy entry to vehicle as well as car theft to interior of vehicle and trunk of vehicle. This has been reported to Honda and stated answer is - when key is clicked more then once, this will cause windows to open, even when owner is indoors and accidentally hits the key. This is a potentially life threatening problem.

- Salinas, CA, USA

problem #7

Jan 292010

Accord

  • 120,000 miles
1996 Honda Accord. Driving on freeway on the third line. Suddenly car lights on the front panel turn on. Engine stopped. Car slowed down and almost was hit by a truck on the rear of the car. Felt like the truck would read end my car and that was the day to die. Emergency lights were turn on. While the car was moving, the engine started after so trying so man times and got car out of the freeway. After exiting the freeway, the car lights came on and engine stopped working. A tow truck took the car to a shop, where it was determined that a ignition electrical switched is bad faulty.

- San Leandro, CA, USA

problem #6

Dec 222008

Accord

  • Automatic transmission
  • 208,100 miles
1996 Honda Accord, automatic transmission, having trouble removing the key from the ignition, seems like the system doesn't realize that the transmission is in park. The problem occurs every other time so far, seems like something is worn out or on the verge of a defect. Please advise asap, I don't want to get stuck someplace. Is this problem on a recall basis "?"

- Duncanville, TX, USA

problem #5

Mar 012004

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles
: the contact stated the rear passenger side door will not automatically lock/unlock using the remote locking device it must be performed manually. This began as an intermittent problem but gradually got worse. The dealership inspected the vehicle and determined the actuator needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. Updated 05/16/2006.

- Freeport, FL, USA

problem #4

Aug 012004

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles
: the contact stated the rear driver side door will not automatically lock/unlock from the driver side controls, it must be performed manually. The vehicle is not equipped with a remote locking device. The contact is not the original owner and the problem has occurred since date of purchase. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and determined the door actuator needed to be replaced. The manufacturer has not been contacted. Updated 5/16/2006 -

- Freeport, FL, USA

problem #3

Oct 122005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 125,000 miles
Electrical problems, with door lock actuators and SRS systems wheel alignment brake problems, transmission problems yes, parts were replaced, repaired but I still have the same problems, after spending thousands of dollars.

- Lake Forest, CA, USA

problem #2

Apr 022004

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 104,000 miles
I own a 1996 Honda Accord and it has been a reliable car until recently. It has been regularly mainted. I was driving to work when the car kept acting like it was going to stall when I hit the gas. It finally stalled while I was driving to work at 55 miles per hour. After taking it to the Honda dealer and spending $300 for repairs which included replacement of spark plugs, fuel induction service and throttle body cleaning, the car was still not repaired. After the car would not start, I myself replaced the distributor cap, rotor and ignition coil. It is now sitting at a local mechanic who figured out the problem was the distributor assembly. So $1,000 later my car is fixed but I still feel very unsafe driving it and will never trust it again.

- Ruidoso, NM, USA

problem #1

Feb 282000

Accord

  • miles
This latest electrical system failure has yet to be dianosed by a mechanic; I am guessing the cause is the same as the 2 previous failures. Whether my guess is correct, the bike's electrical system failed completely, causing loss of power with no warning, while I was riding in the middle (third) lane of the freeway at 65mph. A Honda technician who replaced a defective regulator on this bike before told me the units tended to fail because they were intended for touring and didn't perform well in commuter conditions. Have you heard this before?

- San Mateo, CA, USA